Improvement in locks



Y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NELSON STAFFORD, OF BROOKLYN, NEIY YORK.

IMPRovEMENT IN LOCKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 41.',72l, dated March 7, 1565.

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NELSON STAFFORD, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented, made, and applied to use a certain new and useful Improvement in Locks and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,'and exact description ofthe said invention, reference being had to'the annexed drawings, making part of this specication, wherein- Figure l is a view of a lock fitted with my improvement, the cap-plate being removed. Fig. 2 is a crosssection of the same. Fig. 3 represents the cap-plate, and Fig. 4 represents the key.

Similar marks of reference denote the sam parts.

Locks have heretofore been made with tumblers or auxiliary tumblers moving with the bolt. In such cases, however, said tumblers have generally moved in aplane parallel, or nearly so, to that in which the bolt moves.

The nature of my said invention consists in a series of tumblers swinging in a plane at right angles, or nearly so, to the bolt, and moving with the bolt and key, combined with stationary stops, that, taking said tumblers, hold the bolt when the same is locked or un` locked.

In the drawings, a is the lock-plate, upon which are fixed stops or supports l 1, in which the bolt is guided as it slides back and, forth. b is the plate or bolt-stock carrying the bolts c c. These are represented as made of an shape, adapted to passing through the staples or eyes d d on the plate e, to form a lock adapted to a box or trunk; but it will be evident that the bolt itself might extend out from the plate bin the direction shown by dotted lines at f, to adapt the said lock to drawers, doors, 85e., or said bolt might be formed in any desired manner adapted to the circumstances under which the lock is to be used.

The bolt-stock b is provided with flanges or lugs g g, carrying the center-piu 2 of the tumblers i t', and these tumblers are kept apart by stationary plates 3 3, or divisions, which should extend back and be attached to the bolt-stock b, in order that the tumblers 'i may be more securely held in their proper places. Springs are provided, one to ecah tumbler, as represented at 4, Fig. 2. Each tumbler becomes a lever, swinging on the 1 n 2, and the springs et keep the ends of the tumblers that are acted on by the key toward said key. v

At5 5 grooves are provided in b,into which the edges 6 6 of the plate shaped key h, Fig. 4, are entered, and the shoulders at 7 7 on said plate-key determine the point to which the key is to be pressed in. The portion of this plate-key that comes in contact with the ends of the tumblers t' t' is notched out of the proper shape to give to 'each tumbler the required motion or position. The opposite ends of the tumblers to those acted on by the key occupy notches in the stationary Ward bar or plate lr, and the ends ot' the tumblers are themselves notched. (See Fig. 2.) It will now be apparent that the proper key is of a shape' to `bring all the notches in the ends of the tumbler on line with the wardbar k, and that in this position the bolt and tumblers can be slid back and forth by the key, lall these parts moving together, and the notches at the ends of the tumblers sliding over the stationary notched ward-bar; but if an im'- proper key isintroduced, and any one tumbler doos not occupy the proper position, the bolt and tumblers cannot be moved, in consequent e of one or more tumbers touching at their ends'` against the projections of the notched wardbar.

There will require to be a larger number of notches in the ward-bar than there are tumblers, if all such tumblers become operative, to hold tbe bolt in an unlocked as well as locked position.

It will be apparent that two ranges of tumblers might be provided, it desired, the moving ends passing between each other, so as to be operated by one key. In this case the ward-bars will be on the opposite sides of the bolt, said bolt with its two ranges of tumblers being between said wardbars, and the el'ds of the tumblers coming intermediately and lapping sufficiently past each other to be opera-ted on by one plate-key.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patentis- .1. A series of tumblers swinging in a plane at right angles, or nearly so, to the line of motion of the bolt, and moving with said bolt, in combination with stationary wards, substantially as specified.

2. The combination of a pla-'ce-keywirh` a Innwiness whereofl have hereu'n'to'set my i slling bolt and tumb1ers,when said bolt is signature'this 17th day of December, 1864.

moved by an endwise motion viven t0 Said v key, as specified. A o N' STAFFORD 3. The bolt carrying thetumblers, and tted Witnesses as specified, in combination With the key and THos. GEO. HAROLD,

stationary Ward-bar, as set forth. 'GI-IAS. H. SMITH. 

